Brown, Maryland beat UConn, send Huskies to 0-2

Chris Elsberry

Published 11:04 pm, Saturday, September 14, 2013

Maryland head coach Randy Edsall watches his team play against Connecticut during the first half of an NCAA college football game at Rentschler Field, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2013 in East Hartford, Conn.
Photo: Jessica Hill, AP

Maryland head coach Randy Edsall watches his team play against...

Maryland head coach Randy Edsall watches his team play against Connecticut during the first half of an NCAA college football game at Rentschler Field, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2013 in East Hartford, Conn.
Photo: Jessica Hill, AP

Maryland head coach Randy Edsall watches his team play against...

Connecticut fans wave foam fingers in the stands during the first half of an NCAA college football game between Connecticut and Maryland at Rentschler Field, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2013 in East Hartford, Conn.
Photo: Jessica Hill, AP

Connecticut fans wave foam fingers in the stands during the first...

Maryland head coach Randy Edsall watches his team play against Connecticut during the first half of an NCAA college football game at Rentschler Field, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2013 in East Hartford, Conn.
Photo: Jessica Hill, AP

Maryland linebacker Yannik Cudjoe-Virgil (51) sacks Connecticut quarterback Chandler Whitmer (10) during the first half of an NCAA college football game at Rentschler Field, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2013 in East Hartford, Conn.
Photo: Jessica Hill, AP

Maryland linebacker Yannik Cudjoe-Virgil (51) sacks Connecticut...

Connecticut quarterback Chandler Whitmer (10) looks for a receiver behind the block of tackle Jimmy Bennett (72) during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Maryland at Rentschler Field, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2013, in East Hartford, Conn.
Photo: Jessica Hill, AP

Connecticut quarterback Chandler Whitmer (10) looks for a receiver...

Connecticut cornerback Taylor Mack (29) celebrates his interception with teammates defensive end Tim Willman (51) and Connecticut linebacker Yawin Smallwood, rear, during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Maryland at Rentschler Field, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2013, in East Hartford, Conn.

The Connecticut Huskies run onto the field for an NCAA college football game against Maryland at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, Conn., Saturday, Sept. 14, 2013.

Photo: Jessica Hill, AP

The Connecticut Huskies run onto the field for an NCAA college...

Connecticut quarterback Chandler Whitmer (10) looks for a receiver during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Maryland at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, Conn., Saturday, Sept. 14, 2013.
Photo: Jessica Hill, AP

Connecticut quarterback Chandler Whitmer (10) looks for a receiver...

Maryland linebacker Cole Farrand (47) breaks up a pass intended for Connecticut tight end Sean McQuillan (49) during the first half of an NCAA college football game at Rentschler Field, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2013, in East Hartford, Conn.

Connecticut wide receiver Shakim Phillips (8) celebrates a touchdown by running back Lyle McCombs, under the pile, during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Maryland at Rentschler Field, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2013, in East Hartford, Conn.
Photo: Jessica Hill, AP

Connecticut wide receiver Shakim Phillips (8) celebrates a...

Maryland head coach Randy Edsall, left, shakes hands with Connecticut head coach Paul Pasqualoni before an NCAA college football game at Rentschler Field, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2013, in East Hartford, Conn.
Photo: Jessica Hill, AP

Maryland head coach Randy Edsall, left, shakes hands with...

Connecticut cornerback Jhavon Williams, left, tackles Maryland wide receiver Stefon Diggs (1) after a catch during the first half of an NCAA college football game at Rentschler Field, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2013 in East Hartford, Conn.
Photo: Jessica Hill, AP

EAST HARTFORD -- For 12 seasons, Randy Edsall worked to build the UConn football program into something special. On Saturday night, he returned to his old stomping grounds as the enemy with Maryland and did his best to try to dismantle it.

Led by quarterback C.J. Brown, who accounted for 399 yards of total offense while also running for a touchdown and passing for another, the Terrapins rolled past the struggling Huskies 32-21 Saturday night before 38,196 at Rentschler Field.

Brown passed for 277 yards and rushed for 122 more as Maryland improved to 3-0 -- its best start under Edsall in his three seasons. The Huskies fell to 0-2, its worst opening since 2002, UConn's first year as a full Division I-A program, when they lost to Boston College and Georgia Tech.

Terrapins wideout Stefon Diggs caught five passes for 110 yards and a touchdown and tailback Brandon Ross added 95 yards rushing on 18 carries as Maryland rolled up 501 yards of total offense.

For UConn, Shakim Phillips caught 10 passes for 178 yards and a touchdown. Chandler Whitmer was 29 of 46 for a career-high 349 yards with two interceptions.

Edsall coached the Huskies from 1999-2010 as UConn was making the transition to I-A status. During that time, the Huskies earned two Big East titles and appeared in five bowl games, including the Fiesta Bowl on New Year's Day, 2011, against Oklahoma. It was immediately after that game when Edsall, without even telling his players, caught a cross-country flight and took his "dream job" the next day at Maryland.

In his place, UConn hired Paul Pasqualoni, who's struggled in his first two seasons, posting back-to-back 5-7 campaigns before the 0-2 start.

The Huskies, who were embarrassed two weeks ago by Towson, now must face No. 11 Michigan, which escaped an upset bid by Akron in Ann Arbor, Mich., and will bring a 3-0 record to Rentschler Field next Saturday.

Maryland went 80 yards in four plays to open a 20-10 lead early in the third quarter. Brown scrambled for 27 yards out to the Terrapins 47 and then found receiver Malcom Culmer for 26 more to the Huskies 27. A 15-yard pass interference call gave Maryland a first down at the Huskies 12, and then Brown connected with Diggs for a 12-yard touchdown completion with 9:04 left in the third quarter.

UConn wasted an excellent chance after Ross fumbled and UConn cornerback Ty-Meer Brown recovered at the Maryland 31 on the Terrapins' next possession. A pass from Whitmer to Phillips netted 13 yards to the 18, but UConn managed just 1 yard in its next three plays, settling for a 33-yard field goal by Chad Christen to cut the Maryland lead to 20-13 with 6:02 to play in the third.

Maryland's defense came up with a huge play to make it 27-13 as nose tackle Darius Kilgo clobbered Whitmer and Dexter McDougle intercepted the pass near midfield and returned it 49 yards for a touchdown with 2:07 to play in the third.

An intentional grounding penalty resulted in a fourth-quarter safety for Maryland, and Brad Craddock added a third field goal with 4:48 left to make it 32-13 before Whitmer found Phillips for a 75-yard TD pass and a two-point conversion pass to Geremy Davis with 4:26 to play.

In its opening wins over Florida International and Old Dominion, Maryland used its quick-strike offense to score early and often, and UConn found out just how explosive the Terrapins could be. A 48-yard pass and run allowed Maryland to take the lead just before halftime. With just 19 seconds left and the ball at the Terrapins 49, Brown found Levern Jacobs in single coverage, and he motored 48 yards to the Huskies' 3-yard line with eight seconds left. After an incompletion, Craddock connected on a 21-yard field goal as the clock expired to give Maryland a 13-10 halftime lead.

Early on, however, it was UConn that showed some big-play prowess of its own as Whitmer found Lyle McCombs for 17 yards and Phillips for 21 more as part of a six-play, 54-yard drive, capped by McCombs' 5-yard TD run to give UConn a 7-0 lead with 10:21 left in the first quarter.

Maryland answered with a four-play, 80-yard drive, which included completions of 21 and 15 yards to Diggs. The backbreaker was a 41-yard touchdown scamper by Brown. Craddock's extra point made it 7-7 with 11:10 left in the second quarter.

Craddock kicked a 29-yard field goal with 7:47 left in the half, giving Maryland a 10-7 lead.

Deshon Foxx had a more active role in the UConn offensive scheme this week, and his 28-yard reception gave the Huskies a first down at the Maryland 20. But Whitmer was sacked by linebacker Marcus Whitfield and Christen came on to kick a 33-yard field goal to tie the game at 10-10 with 4:05 to play in the half.